“THERE MAY NOT BE AN AMERICAN LETTER”

(Last week, Israel Resource Review reported David Bedein’s stories from Washington that the US government would not confirm reported US assurances in exchange for Israeli willingness to freeze any building in Judea and Samaria.)

Those stories were:

U.S. Officials: What Freeze Commitments? David Bedein Reports on Trip to the US

The Americans are unwilling to promise in writing that they will not demand another freeze-that is the reason that the American letter is being delayed, say government sources in Jerusalem.

Last night, in a meeting with Likud activists at Likud headquarters, Prime Minister Netanyahu related to this obstacle and said, “the negotiations (with the Palestinians-MT) will not progress without an explicit American promise.”

The prime minister also said, “as long as there is nothing documented, we won’t be able to make progress. The situation is complex and there must be an explicit American promise.”

This refers to Israel’s demand that the Americans state in writing that after construction is frozen for three months in the settlements, the US administration will not ask for another construction freeze. The Americans agreed to this orally, on the assumption that Netanyahu would be willing to discuss, in the first stage, the subject of borders and security arrangements and conclude these subjects within three months.

But Netanyahu made it clear that he would not agree for the discussions to focus only on the subject of borders but that it be about all the core issues. Netanyahu is also not willing to promise that the subject of the borders will be concluded within three months, but rather wants the discussions to continue for as long as necessary. “As things look now, perhaps there won’t be a letter,” said a government official.

Netanyahu related last night to the guarantees and said: “A peace agreement does not mean there will be peace, which is why security arrangements are necessary. If I can help in this matter by our getting planes that will change the strategic balance-this is no small matter.” The prime minister further said: “There is propaganda against us… they take the results of the conflict and turn them into the reason for the conflict.”